Resiliently supported articulated railway vehicle

ABSTRACT

An articulated railway vehicle includes a truck having at least two wheeled axles, a truck frame supported on the axles, pairs of transversely spaced upright springs centered longitudinally of the truck and supported on the truck frame, a pair of body units aligned longitudinally of the truck and spaced apart longitudinally of the truck, elements projecting longitudinally from one of the body units and spaced apart transversely of the truck corresponding to the outer pair of springs and seated respectively thereon, and additional elements projecting longitudinally from the other body units and spaced apart transversely of the truck corresponding to the inner pair of springs and seated respectively thereon, the springs being distortable in shear generally longitudinally of the truck to accommodate relative swivel between the car bodies with each other and the truck, and transversely of the truck to cushion lateral forces. The bodies are connected to each other by a pivot structure above the center of the truck, which is connected to the truck frame to transmit longitudinal forces therebetween while accommodating relative swivel, transverse and vertical movements of the bodies with respect to the truck frame as are permitted by the springs.

United States Patent Seely RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED ARTICULATED RAILWAYVEHICLE Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assistant Examiner-HowardBeltran [72] Inventor: Robert M. Seely, Florissant, Mo. Atmmey Beden andBurgess [73] Assignee: General Steel Industries, Inc., St. Louis,

Mo. ABSTRACT [22] Filed: No 24, 1969 An articulated railway vehicleincludes a truck having at least two wheeled axles, a truck framesupported on the axles, pairs [21] Appl. 879,032 of transversely spacedupright springs centered longitudinally of the truck and supported onthe truck frame, a pair of body [52] U S Cl 105/4 R 105/159 105/182 Runits aligned longitudinally of the truck and spaced apart lon- 105/2681 105/153 217/75 gitudinally of the truck, elements projectinglongitudinally R from one of the body units and spaced aparttransversely of I 5] 1 Int Cl B6 3/12 B61f5/08 8615/18 the truckcorresponding to the outer pair of springs and seated [58] Field 105/3 4453 59 182 R respectively thereon, and additional elements projectinglon- 105/197 A 3 1 g 267/3 2l3/75 gitudinally from the other body unitsand spaced apart transversely of the truck corresponding to the innerpair of springs and seated respectively thereon, the springs beingdistortable [56] References cued in shear generally longitudinally ofthe truck to accommodate UNITED STATES PATENTS relative swivel betweenthe car bodies with each other and the truck, and transversely of thetruck to cushion lateral forces. 3'262'693 7/ 1966 "267/3 The bodies areconnected to each other by a pivot structure 37516365 6/1970 -105/132 Rx above the center of the truck, which is connected to the truck 3,521569 7/ 1970 at ""105/182 R frame to transmit longitudinal forcestherebetween while ac- 3523505 8/1970 Llch 105/ 1 82 R commodatingrelative swivel, transverse and vertical move- 2,132,001 10/1938 Dean"105/ 4 X ments of the bodies with respect to the truck frame as areper- 2,225,242 12/1940 VanDorn et al.. 105/453 mined by the springs2,268,318 12/1941 Urbinati ..105/4 3,403,638 10/1968 l-lirst ..l05/453 X17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 2 b 25/5 111-52 49 ii1 1 1.7" \T: 2|:

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F0552?" M .5564 Y RESIILIENTLY SUPPORTED ARTICULATED RAILWAY VEHICLEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Field of the Invention The invention relates to railway rolling stockand consists particularly in an articulated railway vehicle of the typein which a single bolsterless truck supports a pair of adjacent car bodyunits.

The Prior Art Prior articulation arrangements have frequently utilized atruck in which a lateral motion bolster was supported from the truckframe and supported a central extension of one body unit by means of acenter plate. A central extension of the other body unit was supportedon the first body unit extension by a center plate. In common practicethe first body unit had downwardly facing side bearings cooperable withtruck mounted upwardly facing side bearings, and the second unit haddownwardly facing side bearings cooperable with upwardly facing sidehearings on the first unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides an articulated railwayvehicle in which the truck at the articulation point is simplified andlightened by elimination of the conventional transverse loadsupportingbolster, center plates and side bearings. This is achieved by supportingtwo pairs of upright springs which are capable of transverse andhorizontal as well as vertical deflection in transversely spacedrelation on the truck frame, and supporting one body unit on one pair ofsprings and the other body unit on the other pair of springs, andproviding a direct vertical pivotal draft connection between the twobody units above the center of the truck, and means connecting thelatter to the truck frame to permit swivel, lateral and verticalmovements of the body units with respect to the truck frame, whiletransmitting longitudinal movements (tractive and braking) directbetween the truck frame and the body units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a two-unit articulated car embodyingthe invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail plan view of the articulation connection between thebody units, including the truck.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the articulation connectionillustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal vertical sectional view along line 5-5of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Referring first to FIG. 1, a car embodying the invention comprises apair of aligned elongated body units 1 and 2 supported at their remoteends respectively on swivel trucks 3 and 4 which may be of any typesuitable for the class of service in which the car is to be utilized.

At their adjacent ends, body units 1 and 2 are supported on a truckcomprising four railway flanged wheels 5 mounted in transversely spacedpairs on the ends oflongitudinally spaced axles 7 and 8. Longitudinallyextending transversely spaced side frames 9 are supported at theiropposite ends on the ends of axles 7 and 8 and are providedlongitudinally inwardly from the axles with transverse abutment surfaces11 inclined outwardly and upwardly longitudinally of the truck. Surfaces11 are of convex generally V-shape in plan and mount elastomeric paddevices 13 of the same configuration. A bolster or transverse frame 15is formed with short longitudinal stubs 17 at each corner, and thelatter terminate in transverse surfaces 19 of concave generally V-shapein plan and inclined parallel to side frame surfaces 11 for mounting onpad devices 13, whereby to permit side frames 9 to tip differentiallylongitudinally of the truck through shear in the pads, while resistingsubstantial longitudinal and transverse movements of the side frames andmain frame 15 with respect to each other.

For supporting body unit 1, main frame 15 mounts, transversely inwardlyof wheels 5 on the transverse center line of the truck, a pair ofelastomeric upright springs 23a of a type which is yieldablehorizontally, both transversely and longitudinally of the truck, as wellas vertically, and body unit 1 is provided with rigid longitudinalprojections 25 which rest on the top of springs 23a and are securedthereto so that vertical and lateral cushioning of body unit 1 areobtained respectively by the vertical and transverse resiliency ofsprings 23a while swivel of the truck relative to underframe l isaccommodated by horizontal yielding of springs 25 in opposite directionsalong arcs generally longitudinal of the truck.

For supporting body unit 2, main frame 15 is formed with a pair ofoutboard extensions 27 centrally located longitudinally of the truck,and a pair of elastomeric upright springs 23b are seated on extensions27. Body unit 2 is provided with rigid longitudinal projections 25b,which rest on the top of and are secured to springs 23b, which functionthe same with respect to body unit 2 as do springs 23a with respect tobody unit 1.

For coupling body units 1 and 2 to each other and transmittinglongitudinal (acceleration and retardation) forces between them and thetruck, at its center, body unit 1 has a longitudinal projection ofrectangular cross section having vertically spaced top and bottom walls29 and 31 and transversely spaced side walls, as best seen in FIGS. 2and 5, and body unit 2 has a mating central longitudinal projection 35,the outer end of which is cylindrically apertured as at 37 and extendsinto the open outer end of body unit 1 projection 29, 31, 33, top andbottom walls 29 and 31 of which are formed with vertically aligned holes39 concentric with but smaller than projection 35 aperture 37. Avertical tube 41 extends through holes 39 and aperture 37 and is securedto top and bottom walls 29 and 31 of the body unit 1 projection, and anelastomeric bushing 43 is compressed into the annular space between tube41 and the wall of projection 35 aperture 37 to accommodate relativeangling movements of the two body unit projections in the vertical planecaused by vertical track curvature and differential transverseinclinations of the body units. Relative angling of the body unitscaused by horizontal track curvature are accommodated by circumferentialshear in bushing 43. For transmitting longitudinal forces between thetruck and the body units, at its center, truck main frame 19 is formedwith a generally rectangular aperture defined by longitudinally spacedtransverse walls 45 and transversely spaced longitudinal walls 47, and apair of transversely spaced longitudinal vertical webs 49 rigid withbody unit I bottom wall 31 depend therefrom into and through aperture45, 47 in which they are spaced both from aperture side walls 47 andtransverse walls 45. Intermediate the vertical edges of webs 49, atransverse vertical web 51 connects them and a draft transmitting devicecomprising a pair of precompressed elastomeric pad devices 53 isinterposed between the opposite transverse surfaces of web 51 andtransverse webs 45 of the truck main frame. The longitudinal outer endsof pad devices 53, each of which consists of a plurality of flattransverse vertical elastomeric pads bonded to and interleaved by flatmetal plates, are secured to transverse mounting plates 57. The latterare formed with rearwardly extending transverse horizontal ribs 59, bywhich they are rigidly mounted on horizontal brackets 61 formed on truckframe aperture transverse walls 45, so that lateral and verticalmovements of body units 1 and 2 on their supporting springs 23a and 23bare accommodated by transverse and vertical shear in pad devices 53, andswivel movements of the truck relative to the body units is accommodatedby a combination of shear and compression of the pad devices.Longitudinal forces are transmitted substantially direct between thetruck and both body units by the resistance of pad devices 53 tocompression longitudinally of the truck and the resistance of bushing 43to radial compression.

For limiting the amount of lateral movement of the body units withrespect to the truck, side walls 47 defining the truck frame aperturemount wear plates 63, and the outer surfaces of webs 49 mount laterallyoutwardly facing resilient elastomeric bumpers 65 which are spacedtransversely from wear plates 63 a sufficient distance to permit thedesired amount of lateral movement.

For preventing vertical separation of the truck from the body units,webs 49 both mount, along their lower margins, longitudinally extendingbars 67, the end portions of which underlie the bottom of main frame 19fore and aft of the apertures therein defined by transverse walls 45.

lclaim 1. In a railway vehicle, body structure comprising a pair ofelongated body units arranged in end-to-end relation, a truck underlyingthe adjacent ends of said body units, said truck comprising a pair ofwheeled axles spaced apart longitudinally of the truck, framingsupported thereon, a first pair of upright springs mounted on said truckframing and spaced apart transversely thereof, a second pair of springsmounted on said truck framing transversely inboard of and in operationalparallel with said first pair of springs, all of said springs beinglocated substantially midway between said axles, means mounting one ofsaid body units on said first pair of springs, and additional meansmounting the other body unit on said second pair of springs, saidmounting means holding the two body units against horizontal movementsrelative to their respective mounting springs, said springs forming thesole support of said body units on the truck and being horizontallyyieldable generally longitudinally of the vehicle to accommodatehorizontal angling of said body units with respect to each other and tosaid truck.

2. In a railway vehicle according to claim 1, draft transmitting meansconnecting said body units to each other and to said truck.

3. In a railway vehicle according to claim 2, said draft transmittingmeans comprising a vertical axis pivotal connection between said bodyunits substantially at the center of said truck.

4. In a railway vehicle according to claim 3, said draft transmittingmeans comprising a longitudinal force transmitting connection betweensaid body structure and said truck frammg.

5. In a railway vehicle according to claim 1, said body units beingspaced apart longitudinally of said truck, said means mounting said bodyunits on said springs comprising a pair of transversely spacedlongitudinal extensions from the end of each said body unit toward theother body unit, said extensions being secured to the tops oftherespective springs.

6. In a railway vehicle according to claim 5, draft transmitting meansincluding elements projecting longitudinally from each body unit towardthe other body unit and pivotally connecting said body units to eachother on a vertical axis substantially at the center of said truck.

7. In a railway vehicle according to claim 6, a draft transmittingdevice connecting one of said projecting draft trans-- mitting elementsto said truck.

8. In a railway vehicle according to claim 6, said draft transmittingelements being at a higher level then said truck framing, one of saiddraft transmitting elements being formed with a member depending to thelevel of said truck framing substantially at the center of said truckand there having a longitudinal force transmitting connection with saidtruck framing,

said last-named connection permitting relative vertical, lateral andswivel movements of said depending member and said truck framing withrespect to each other.

9. In a railway vehicle according to claim 6, said draft trans- I saidcylindrical aperture whereby to accommodate differential tippingmovements of said body units longitudinally and transversely of thevehicle.

11. In a railway vehicle according to claim 9, said draft transmittingelement formed with said cylindrical element having vertically spacedtop and bottom webs connected by said cylindrical element, said drafttransmitting element formed with said cylindrical aperture beingreceived between said top and bottom webs of said other drafttransmitting element.

12. In a railway vehicle according to claim 1 l, a post alignedvertically with said cylindrical element depending from said drafttransmitting element bottom web, and means swivelly connecting said postto said truck framing. v

13. In a railway vehicle according to claim 12, said truck framinghaving longitudinally spaced opposing transverse surfaces symmetricallydisposed with respect to the truck center and defining an aperturethrough said framing, said post projecting into said aperture, saidswivelly connecting means being positioned between said post and saidtransverse surfaces.

14. In a railway vehicle according to claim 13, said swivel connectingmeans comprising flat transverse elastomeric pad devices compressedbetween both transverse surfaces of said post and the respectivelyopposed transverse surfaces of said truck framing.

15. In a railway vehicle according to claim 1, said truck framingincluding a rigid transverse frame, there being means resilientlysupporting said rigid frame from said axles.

16. In a railway vehicle according to claim 15, said frame havinglateral outboard extensions at each side intermediate said wheels, oneof said pairs of springs being supported on said extensions, said otherpairs of springs being supported on said frame transversely inwardly ofsaid extensions.

17. Railway vehicle truck structure comprising a pair of wheeled axlesspaced apart longitudinally of the truck structure, framing supportedthereon, first and second pairs of transversely spaced upright springscarried by said framing substantially midway between said axles andspaced apart transversely thereof, body support elements fixed to andcarried by said first pair of springs and extending in one directionlongitudinally of the truck therefrom, additional body support elementsfixed to and carried by said second pair of springs and extending in theopposite direction longitudinally of the truck therefrom, said framinghaving longitudinally spaced opposing transverse surfaces defining anaperture at its center, a vertical post positioned within said aperture,transverse elastomeric pad devices compressed between transversesurfaces of said post and opposing transverse surfaces of said framing,a body draft element rigidly secured to said post above said truckframing, and a second body draft element pivotally secured to said firstdraft element on a vertical axis aligned with said post.

1. In a railway vehicle, body structure comprising a pair of elongated body units arranged in end-to-end relation, a truck underlying the adjacent ends of said body units, said truck comprising a pair of wheeled axles spaced apart longitudinally of the truck, framing supported thereon, a first pair of upright springs mounted on said truck framing and spaced apart transversely thereof, a second pair of springs mounted on said truck framing transversely inboard of and in operational parallel with said first pair of springs, all of said springs being located substantially midway between said axles, means mounting one of said body units on said first pair of springs, and additional means mounting the other body unit on said second pair of springs, said mounting means holding the two body units against horizontal movements relative to their respective mounting springs, said springs forming the sole support of said body units on the truck and being horizontally yieldable generally longitudinally of the vehicle to accommodate horizontal angling of said body units with respect to each other and to said truck.
 2. In a railway vehicle according to claim 1, draft transmitting means connecting said body units to each other and to said truck.
 3. In a railway vehicle according to claim 2, said draft transmitting means comprising a vertical axis pivotal connection between said body units substantially at the center of said truck.
 4. In a railway vehicle according to claim 3, said draft transmitting means comprising a longitudinal force transmitting connection between said body structure and said truck framing.
 5. In a railway vehicle according to claim 1, said body units being spaced apart longitudinally of said truck, said means mounting said body units on said springs comprising a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal extensions from the end of each said body unit toward the other body unit, said extensions being secured to the tops of the respective springs.
 6. In a railway vehicle according to claim 5, draft transmitting means including elements projecting longitudinally from each body unit toward the other body unit and pivotally connecting said body units to each other on a vertical axis substantially at the center of said truck.
 7. In a railway vehicle according to claim 6, a draft transmitting device connecting one of said projecting draft transmitting elements to said truck.
 8. In a railway vehicle according to claim 6, said draft transmitting elements being at a higher level then said truck framing, one of said draft transmitting elements being formed with a member depending to the level of said truck framing substantially at the center of said truck and there having a longitudinal force transmitting connection with said truck framing, said last-named connection permitting relative vertical, lateral and swivel movements of said depending member and said truck framing with respect to each other.
 9. In a railway vehicle according to claim 6, said draft transmitting elements being formed respectively with a vertical cylindrical aperture and a mating cylindrical element pivotally received therein.
 10. In a railway vehicle according to claim 9, a bushing of resilient material surrounding said cylindrical element within said cylindrical aperture whereby to accommodate differential tipping movements of said body units longitudinally and transversely of the vehicle.
 11. In a railway vehicle according to claim 9, said draft transmitting element formed with said cylindrical element having vertically spaced top and bottom webs connected by said cylindrical element, said draft transmitting element formed with said cylindrical aperture being received between said top and bottom webs of said other draft transmitting element.
 12. In a railway vehicle according to claim 11, a post aligned vertically with said cylindrical element depending from said draft transmitting element bottom web, and means swivelly connecting said post to said truck framing.
 13. In a railway vehicle according to claim 12, said truck framing having longitudinally spaced opposing transverse surfaces symmetrically disposed with respect to the truck center and defining an aperture through said framing, said post projecting into said aperture, said swivelly connecting means being positioned between said post and said transverse surfaces.
 14. In a railway vehicle according to claim 13, said swivel connecting means comprising flat transverse elastomeric pad devices compressed between both transverse surfaces of said post and the respectively opposed transverse surfaces of said truck framing.
 15. In a railway vehicle according to claim 1, said truck framing including a rigid transverse frame, there being means resiliently supporting said rigid frame from said axles.
 16. In a railway vehicle according to claim 15, said frame having lateral outboard extensions at each side intermediate said wheels, one of said pairs of springs being supported on said extensions, said other pairs of springs being supported on said frame transversely inwardly of said extensions.
 17. Railway vehicle truck structure comprising a pair of wheeled axles spaced apart longitudinally of the truck structure, framing supported thereon, first and second pairs of transversely spaced upright springs carried by said framing Substantially midway between said axles and spaced apart transversely thereof, body support elements fixed to and carried by said first pair of springs and extending in one direction longitudinally of the truck therefrom, additional body support elements fixed to and carried by said second pair of springs and extending in the opposite direction longitudinally of the truck therefrom, said framing having longitudinally spaced opposing transverse surfaces defining an aperture at its center, a vertical post positioned within said aperture, transverse elastomeric pad devices compressed between transverse surfaces of said post and opposing transverse surfaces of said framing, a body draft element rigidly secured to said post above said truck framing, and a second body draft element pivotally secured to said first draft element on a vertical axis aligned with said post. 